Karen Allen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Karen Allen
Allen in 2017
Born	Karen Jane Allen (1951-10-05) October 5, 1951 (age 73) Carrollton, Illinois, U.S.
Alma mater	Fashion Institute of Technology George Washington University Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1974–present
Known for	Role of Marion Ravenwood in the Indiana Jones films Raiders of the Lost Ark, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Dial of Destiny
Spouse(s)	Kale Browne ​ ​ (m. 1988; div. 1998)​
Children	1

Karen Jane Allen (born October 5, 1951) is an American actress. She has starred in many films, TV shows, and plays. Karen Allen is best known for playing Marion Ravenwood in the Indiana Jones movies. She first appeared in Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981. She later returned as Marion in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023).

Karen Allen also starred in other popular films like Starman (1984) and Scrooged (1988). She has won awards for her acting and has also directed plays and short films.

Early Life and Education

Karen Allen was born in Carrollton, Illinois. Her mother, Ruth Patricia, was a university professor. Her father, Carroll Thompson Allen, worked for the FBI. Because of her father's job, her family moved very often. Karen said that she was always the new kid in school. This made it hard for her to make lasting friendships.

After finishing high school in Maryland at age 17, she moved to New York City. There, she studied art and design at the Fashion Institute of Technology for two years. Later, she traveled through South and Central Asia. She also went to George Washington University. Karen began to study and perform with a theater group in Washington, D.C. In 1974, she joined Shakespeare & Company in Massachusetts. A few years later, she moved back to New York City. She studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute.

Karen Allen's Acting Career

Karen Allen's first big movie role was in the comedy National Lampoon's Animal House in 1978. She then appeared in The Wanderers (1979) and A Small Circle of Friends (1980). In A Small Circle of Friends, she played a college student in the 1960s. She also had a small part in Woody Allen's film Manhattan (1979).

Karen Allen at the 2006 Dallas Comic Con

Her most famous role came in 1981. She played Marion Ravenwood in the blockbuster movie Raiders of the Lost Ark. In this film, she was the love interest of Indiana Jones, played by Harrison Ford. Karen Allen won the Saturn Award for Best Actress for her performance.

After Raiders of the Lost Ark, she starred in the thriller Split Image (1982). She also appeared in the romantic drama Until September (1984). In 1984, she co-starred with Jeff Bridges in the science-fiction film Starman. This movie was very popular with critics. Her role in Starman earned her another nomination for the Saturn Award for Best Actress.

Stage and Later Film Roles

Karen Allen also performed on Broadway. In 1982, she was in a play called The Monday After The Miracle. She often took breaks from movies to act on stage. In 1987, she played Laura in the film The Glass Menagerie. This movie was directed by Paul Newman.

In 1988, Karen Allen starred with Bill Murray in the Christmas comedy Scrooged. This film was a big success at the box office. In 1990, she played Christa McAuliffe in the TV movie Challenger. This movie was about the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. She also had roles in Malcolm X (1992) and The Perfect Storm (2000). She also appeared in TV shows like Law & Order (1996) and Blue Bloods (2014).

Return to Indiana Jones

Karen Allen returned to her role as Marion Ravenwood in 2008. This was for the movie Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. In this film, her character reunited with Indiana Jones. It was also revealed that they had a son, Mutt Williams, played by Shia LaBeouf. This movie was very successful.

In 2016, Karen Allen made her debut as a movie director. She directed a short film called A Tree. A Rock. A Cloud. This film won an award at the Manchester Film Festival in 2017. She also played the main role in the 2017 film Year by the Sea.

In 2023, she played Marion Ravenwood one last time in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. In 2024, she starred in Unsinkable: Titanic Untold.

Personal Life

Karen Allen at the Chiller Theatre Expo in 2013

In 1988, Karen Allen married actor Kale Browne. They had a son named Nicholas in 1990. They divorced in 1998. After her son was born, Karen took on smaller acting roles. This allowed her to focus on raising Nicholas. Her son, Nicholas, later became a chef. He even won a cooking competition on the Food Network show Chopped in 2016.

In 2003, Karen Allen started her own textile company. It is called Karen Allen Fiber Arts. The company has a store in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. She sells items she knits herself. She also sells products made by other designers. For her work in textile arts, she received an honorary master's degree in 2009. Karen Allen also teaches acting at Bard College at Simon's Rock.

As of 2015, Karen Allen lives in Massachusetts. She also works as a stage director.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

Karen Allen has received several awards and nominations for her acting.

See also

In Spanish: Karen Allen para niños